Supply Chain / Logistics

What does visible supply chain management really mean? Imagine a scenario where you couldn’t finish a product due to a missing fastener. Or you have to suffer additional costs due to unexplained inventory losses. Such errors often spell disaster on an efficiency and cost basis and can even jeopardize customer and supplier relations.

Full transparency in a supply chain is the key to minimizing mistakes while ensuring maximum functional efficiency and productivity.

How Bossard Helps You Achieve Full Transparency

Achieving full inventory and supply chain transparency requires innovative solutions. This is where ARIMS becomes imperative. Our cloud-based interactive supply chain platform not only puts you in complete control of your material flow but also provides total inventory transparency via effective B- and C-part management.

ARIMS Analytics, ARIMS Interactive, and ARIMS Mobile make up the three key aspects of the interactive platform. ARIMS Analytics unleashes the power of big data to provide concise analytics, reports, and graphs summarizing current production using real-time data in an easily visualized and exportable form. ARIMS Interactive lets you customize your dashboard and system options to suit your production needs while making it easier to submit changes and review past and current change requests.

ARIMS Mobile takes platform access to the next level by delivering mobile access through Android and iOS devices. Whether you’re on the production floor or in the field, you’ll have a complete, real-time accounting of your current operations.

ARIMS is what makes Bossard’s Smart Factory Logistics methodology possible. When combined with innovative components like Bossard SmartBin Cloud and SmartLabel Cloud, ARIMS gives you complete information about your supply chain while providing an efficient end-to-end smart manufacturing experience.

Reach out to a Bossard expert at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com and discover how ARIMS supply chain transparency software can help deliver greater inventory and supply chain visibility. 

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There are plenty of things that make the world go round, but it’s screws, nuts, and bolts that hold it all together. What you typically see on a day-to-day basis are the fasteners that make many of the products you create and use possible. What you don’t see, however, is what we at Bossard call the hidden potential of fastening. Our goal is to add value to our product line by helping our customers surface this hidden potential – unleashing and boosting their productivity as the goal.

It’s About Proven Productivity

Bossard’s approach towards Proven Productivity starts by analyzing the production process, from sourcing, design, engineering, and logistics to handling, ordering, quality inspection, stocking, and assembly. To our customers, productivity can mean saving money and/or enabling a lean process by reducing production times. Productivity can also mean engineering smart fastener solutions with fewer parts for easier assembly and reduced inventory or mapping out value streams to enable faster product development and beat competitors to market.

Helping our customers realize Proven Productivity doesn’t just end there. Our contributions to achieving higher productivity also include:

•  Boosting customer competitiveness. At Bossard, our goal is to help customers create better, faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective solutions that fit their needs while outperforming the competition.
  •   Meeting key challenges in supply chain management. Whether it’s inflation, increasing energy and labor costs, or global competition, these key challenges can add pressure to productivity.
  •    Reducing costs via the TCO concept in fastening. Our solutions aim to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) in fastening.
  •    Reaffirming our commitment to quality. The quality of a single screw can have a tremendous impact on more than just the intended application.
  •    Staying ahead of the competition. Bossard Next Generation gives customers a competitive edge via design and process optimization.

Interested in seeing how our value-added solutions can increase your productivity and competitiveness? Email us at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com to learn more.

Knowledge is power but knowing how your supply chain truly operates requires making every part of it visible to the naked eye. The competitive business climate also demands that any supply chain worth its weight in volume also be able to adapt and respond to fast-paced changes, especially those that promise a competitive advantage for first movers. 

Transparency and flexibility in the supply chain offer a host of advantages but getting there has been historically proven to be a stumbling block for many companies. In addition to tighter collaboration with key suppliers and partners and promoting strategic leaders, making the supply chain more transparent and flexible also demands innovative process management and monitoring. This is where ARIMS comes into play. 

How ARIMS Works

Nestled at the core of Bossard’s Smart Factory Logistics, ARIMS offers a cloud-based solution for transparent and flexible supply chain management. ARIMS enables effective visualization and interactive management of inventory and intelligent analytics, giving you a complete view of the supply chain. 

ARIMS utilizes three main functions to provide a clearer picture of your supply chain and make it capable of adapting to fast-changing trends – ARIMS Analytics, ARIMS Interactive, and ARIMS Mobile.

ARIMS Analytics lets you see the big picture, providing you with analytics, graphs, reports, and data that can be used to gain a clear view of the supply chain. ARIMS Analytics takes advantage of big data to provide you with real-time data that can be easily visualized and exported for further analysis. ARIMS Interactive puts you in control of your material flow by letting you directly submit change requests, review previous changes, and change system parameters.

ARIMS Mobile puts the power of the interactive platform in your pocket, allowing you to check orders and view critical information via a smartphone app. Available for iOS and Android devices, ARIMS Mobile gives you a transparent view of the supply chain, even from the production floor.

Interested in transforming your supply chain with ARIMS? Contact us today at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

A complex supply chain demands an efficient solution. Through automation, companies can streamline procurement and other complex supply chain tasks, eliminating wait times while enhancing productivity across the board. Bossard SmartBin gives your company an effective solution for efficiently automating your supply chain.

At its heart, the Bossard SmartBin system consists of bins securely attached to specially designed weight sensors, all connected via a wireless uplink. With the aid of Bossard ARIMS software, SmartBin continuously monitors current stock levels. When stock levels reach a predefined minimum, SmartBin automatically orders the materials needed for successful replenishment – all without the need for human intervention.

Bossard offers several variations of SmartBin to best fit your processes, ranging from truly mobile solutions to applications for large part or high-volume needs:

SmartBin flex – SmartBin flex offers unparalleled versatility for a variety of assembly environments. No power connections are necessary, and each bin can be placed where it is needed most. Materials can be sent straight to the point of use, making excessive goods movement and lengthy wait times a thing of the past.

SmartBin mobile – The ideal solution for assembly environments involving fast-paced and constantly-changing work environments, as well as the integration of large objects. SmartBin mobile uses mobile trolleys outfitted with a wireless uplink and a battery for on-the-go power, enabling workers to transport materials directly to the point of use.

SmartBin classic – Ideal for both centralized and decentralized Kanban pools, SmartBin classic gives you maximized procurement flexibility, from small parts weighing as little as a few grams per bin to large parts weighing up to 1,000 kilograms per pallet. SmartBin classic can also manage high volumes with relative ease.

See our video for a thorough breakdown of how Bossard SmartBin works and how it can benefit your supply chain.

To learn more about how Bossard SmartBin can automate your supply chain, contact us today at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

How your enterprise manages its logistics determines its success and profitability. External logistics, or the flow of materials and final goods from production to the marketplace, is a well-understood concept that most people grasp.

Internal logistics also involves the flow of goods and materials. But as the name implies, said flow is managed internally to replenish work cells within the production center. Internal logistics deals with how goods and materials are stored, distributed and managed in-house, with accountability, trackability and, visibility key goals.

Material replenishment is the key to maintaining efficient production processes, especially those that take advantage of the milk run / water spider. Last Mile Management provides an elegant solution for internal logistics, providing a clear pathway for effective supply chain management.

How Bossard Optimizes the Last Mile

Bossard’s Last Mile Management incorporates many beneficial features that help optimize typical internal logistics flows, from electric demand requests and mobile apps that encourage a paperless environment to customizable route planning that reduces unnecessary movements throughout the replenishment phase.

Using Bossard’s interactive supply chain platform ARIMS, Bossard Last Mile Management automates demand requests at the work cell, allowing materials to be efficiently picked at central storage locations from a digital picking list. An optimized route plan allows the milk run / water spider to effectively and reliably replenish work cells with shorter and less time-consuming paths.

The result is high reliability, optimized material flow and streamlined movements in internal logistics. Reduced order and delivery times also promote increased efficiency, plus real-time consumption data becomes available for each work cell. Bossard’s Last Mile Optimization also allows for flexibility in reconfigurations, providing an evergreen solution regardless of the logistics scenario.

Contact your local Bossard representative today at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com and optimize your Last Mile.

 

Supply chain is the activity and process of sourcing the necessary components or raw materials required by a business to produce a service or product and deliver it to customers. At Bossard, we offer comprehensive logistics services that are critical to an efficient and reliable supply chain. Let’s take a closer look at a quick guide to supply chain logistics and how Bossard’s solutions can help create efficiencies and improve productivity.

Planning

The first step of the supply chain should involve comprehensive strategizing, including market research, cost projections, viability, projected profit margins, manpower, etc. During this phase, all resources should be planned and managed to meet the demand for the service or product. And if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. It’s imperative to devote enough time to the planning phase to achieve long-term benefits. You should also determine which metrics should be used to measure the efficiency of the supply chain and ensure it meets enterprise goals. 

Sourcing

Your suppliers are an irreplaceable link in the supply chain. Without the ability to efficiently and effectively source the raw materials or parts you need, your product or service is destined for the wayside. Your supplier should be able to supply good quality resources and products that are on time and within the budget. The experts at Bossard are proven to check all the boxes and more. 

Inventory

Inventory management, movement, and storage sit at the heart of supply chain relationships. Most of the activity involved in managing a relationship hinges on the purchase, transfer, and management of inventory. Organizations must:

• Meet downstream customer demands that are almost impossible to forecast with accuracy and precision. 
• Deal with suppliers upstream and maintaining a sufficient supply of materials and goods. 

Bossard’s Smart Factory Logistics systems can help strike the ever-elusive balance between meeting customer demands and reducing your total cost of ownership by taking care of B- and C-parts management. 

Transportation

Often called delivery or logistics, the transportation stage involves coordinating customer orders, scheduling delivery, load dispatch, customer invoicing, and payment receipt. This step relies on vehicles to deliver products to customers. 

Returning

As a supplier, you’ll need a flexible and responsive network to receive excess, defected, or unwanted products. For instance, products that are excess or unwanted may be redirected to a warehouse for sale. On the other hand, a defective product may be scrapped or reworked. In either case, it’s imperative to have a reliable and robust network for returns. 

How Can Bossard Help with Supply Chain Management?

At Bossard, we offer an array of solutions designed to add value to your supply chain by helping you overcome key challenges.  Our Smart Factory Logistics is tailored and engineered to meet the specific needs of your business. Enhanced by custom solutions and innovative systems, Bossard’s Smart Factory Logistics incorporates the Internet of Things to your factory and facilitates machine-to-machine communication. You can focus on your core competencies, while the Bossard team focuses on making your C-parts management system leaner and more transparent. 

Contact Bossard today at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com to learn more about how we can help improve productivity and enhance your supply chain. 

Although fasteners may form the smallest parts of your application, their failure can produce enormous problems. In critical industries like mining, processing, and energy production, joint failure can lead to work interruptions, employee downtime, equipment breakdowns, structural collapse, injury, and death.

Even though replacing problematic bolts can cost thousands of dollars at a time and cause expensive work shutdowns, businesses have gotten used to such costly changeovers, sometimes daily. Bossard is introducing a new product that helps end these complications.

The Maxbolt Load Indicating Fastener™, patented by Valley Forge & Bolt, reduces the potential for catastrophic joint failures through sophisticated technology. It contains an accurate and durable load-monitoring device.

Technicians know immediately the load placed on a bolt by looking at custom Maxbolt labels that show either desired operating ranges using a green zone or precise load values. No clumsy external measuring devices are necessary because the load indicators are on the fastener itself. If the clamping load falls out of spec, the tech addresses the issue now, instead of waiting for surprise equipment failure in the future.

Measurements based on tension eliminate the inaccuracies of torque control. Even inexperienced assemblers can put together complex joints that contain uniform clamp loads within +/-5% of design specs. Maxbolts ensure the best initial conditions even before the assembly is in service.

Once in service, Maxbolts can warn of initial relaxation and subsequent loosening as they are happening. A quick glance confirms the load status of a fastener. This constant monitoring provides ultimate reliability and safety in a bolted joint. You’ll always know how a fastener is holding up to its load stresses. This adds to the safety and reliability of an assembly.

Industries that can benefit from this technology include mining, oil and gas, steel, rail, petrochemicals, and nuclear. Valley Forge & Bolt has documented at least one customer that has saved $20 million by switching to Maxbolts.

If you want to know more about how the Maxbolt Load Indicating Fastener™ can revolutionize your applications, please contact us today at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

Bossard has an interesting international history that stretches back almost 200 years.

The Early Years

In 1831, Franz Kaspar Bossard-Kolin had a small problem. The family’s Swiss silk trade business, which had started 75 years earlier, wasn’t going so well. War, dry spells, and environmental issues were taking their toll. So, fresh from his stint as a French National Guard officer who stormed the Bastille, Franz decided to open an iron and steel shop on Kolinplatz in Zug, Switzerland. This shop flourished as the town’s local hardware shop, supplying everything from screws to tools.

Regional Growth

Despite the shortages caused by World War II, Bossard prospered in the 1930s and 1940s, particularly because of the demand for sophisticated engineering products and fasteners grew. The company expanded its offerings with a focus on tools, fittings, and screws. The distribution network grew to meet the needs of a customer base that was moving from an agricultural to an industrial base, particularly in Switzerland.

Global Expansion

In the 1970s and 1980s, the growth of international markets expanded the company across Switzerland. Many businesses throughout the country started to choose Bossard as their supplier because of its international connections. The company went public in 1987 and is currently traded on the Swiss Stock Exchange.

The recession of the early 1990s prompted the company to focus on fastening technologies by selling off its units involved in handicrafts, fittings, and tools. In 2012, Bossard acquired the fastening division of the KVT Koenig Group. KVT Fastening specialized in high-quality fastening and sealing applications throughout German-speaking countries.

Today

Bossard remains proud of its rich heritage and unique global footprint. Our headquarters have since moved from Kolinplatz but is still located in Zug, Switzerland. We encompass 77 locations that include China, India, France, Japan, Australia, South Africa, and the United States. We have 31 logistics centers, 14 application engineering labs, and 2,500 employees. Our international experience enables us to meet your supply needs with high-quality and safe products wherever you are.

To see how our global company with a rich history can help you, email us at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.

You may know Bossard as a distributor of fastening elements and product solutions and a provider of logistics and engineering services. But we are also a global company that can offer you advantages that aren’t available for enterprises that only work on a local or national scale.

1.   Global Reach

Because manufacturing is becoming more globalized, only a supply network that spans nations can react to your needs more efficiently. Bossard boasts 77 locations, 41 logistics centers, and 14 application labs around the world. Our 2,500 employees stand ready to service your concerns wherever they are.

2.   Greater Resources

We’re not confined to one location when it comes to accessing materials and supplies. When issues arise in one area, such as disruptions related to materials, weather, or labor, we can sidestep them by going somewhere else. We gain access to new materials and resources as soon as they’re available without waiting for them to reach our shores. This enables us to bring you quick solutions that grant you faster access to your markets and customers.

3.   Larger Pool of Talent

Our employees form our most valuable assets. And we can draw them from a bigger pool of international talent. It’s not unusual for our work teams to consist of colleagues from around the world. We’ve discovered that having diverse backgrounds, experiences, and knowledge often contributes to better manufacturing solutions. What may be an unusual and unsolvable problem in one culture may already be old hat in another culture.

4.   Global Knowledge

Do you know what it takes to create products that are usable in India? What standards do you have to meet to enter the German market? How do assembly lines in China handle supply delays? Bossard can answer those questions because we have offices and experts in all those locations and more. And we’re willing to pass along our expertise to you so that you can succeed globally.

For more information about Bossard and how we can help you globally, contact us today at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.